The Legend of Zelda: Goddess of Death
by Sagitar Darkclaw
Summary: Five hundred years before the Hero of Time ever stepped foot into Hyrule, the hylians, gorons, and zoras valiantly struggled against the powerful gerudo army and the decietful Queen Antia. Rating mostly for violence and language.
1. Prolougue

PROLOUGUE  
  
Hello, friend. I am Quill the elf, aging 739 years old and living in a peaceful realm called Hyrule. But Hyrule was not always a nice place to live. Around thirty years ago, it was threatened by an evil sorcerer named Vlorack. With the aid of a few friends, (including myself) a brave young man named Link killed Vlorack and saved Hyrule. Shortly after, Link married the beautiful Queen of Hyrule and has ruled in harmony over the citizens of his realm ever since. I have kept busy as well. For the past thirty years, I have traveled around Hyrule and researched the complicated history of Hyrule. One of my favorite chapters occurs around five hundred and fifty years ago, when I was not yet living here in Hyrule. This tragic story concerns a few well-known heroes such as Sonefor, Zenk, Farhill, and Ion. But, of course, the tale would not be an interesting one without evil souls as well. And the story has more than its share of them, including Gerudo thieves such as Dak, Shina, Raker, and, most of all, the notorious Queen Antia. It is the tale of a dangerous queen that alone began the bloody Four-Race War. And before you go on, I warn you, there is no happy ending, as there was no happiness in Hyrule right up until Vlorack was killed thirty years ago.  
  
-Quill 


	2. An Epic Beginning

I do not own Zelda. If I did, I wouldn't be taking the time to write stories for web sites, I would probably be basking in the sun near a giant swimming pool while the beautiful afternoon crawled by and I did whatever really rich people do.  
  
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"A splendid structure, my Lord," commented Captain Orhile as he gazed up at the shining stones of the great temple before him.  
  
"Enough of this 'Lord' nonsense, friend," replied his companion, "I'd wish you would call me by my real name."  
  
Captain Orhile grinned. His king hated being considered better than his subjects in any way, though they all knew he was. "Yes, Sonefor," the captain said.  
  
Just then, the builder in charge of the temple construction walked up to them. "Isn't she a beauty?" he asked lovingly. "Just finished her this morning."  
  
"I agree," replied King Sonefor, "and I have decided what to call her. The Temple of Time, so that she will stand forever in peace to protect the entrance to the Sacred Realm!"  
  
"An excellent name, Lor-Sonefor," said Orhile. For the next few minutes, Sonefor, Orhile, the master builder, and three accompanying guards admired the shrine. Suddenly, the sky roared and rain poured down from the heavens.  
  
"Well, we'd betted get indoors," said the master builder. He turned and headed towards Hyrule Castle. Suddenly, he collapsed. Sonefor grabbed Orhile's arm and leapt behind a wall, the three guards at his heels.  
  
"What's the matter, Lord?" cried the captain. "Silence!" warned Sonefor. His voice dropped to a whisper. "The builder is dead. A dagger was in his side. Now listen. Someone is out there. We need to make a break for the temple and lock the doors." One of the guards stuck his head out from behind the wall. He nodded to Sonefor. "Now!" the king yelled. The five of them leapt out into the open and charged towards the Temple of Time.  
  
Captain Orhile reached the door first. He cursed. "It's locked!"  
  
Suddenly, a spear appeared in an unfortunate guard's stomach. He fell to the ground, dead.  
  
"Who are you?" yelled King Sonefor. "Show yourself!" There was no answer. The only sounds were the heavy sheets of rain falling to earth and the ragged breathing of the remaining four.  
  
"You two," ordered Captain Orhile, "search the perimeter! Stay together and don't go too far." The guards saluted smartly and cautiously walked off into the rain. After a few suspenseful minutes of silence, a piercing cry split the eerie stillness, followed by another. Sonefor and Orhile exchanged a glance of worry.  
  
Suddenly, a dark figure appeared in the rain, holding a deadly two-sided scythe. King Sonefor could barely make out the bodies of two skewed soldiers on either end of the weapon. "Who are you?" he demanded, trying not to sound too scared in the presence of the enemy. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Can't you tell who I am?" came the cool voice of a young woman. "Only I carry a blade like this."  
  
Sonefor stepped back as it dawned on him. "It can't be! Antia? You scared me. What in hell do you think you're doing, killing my guards?"  
  
Antia stepped forward and flung the corpses of the soldiers from her scythe and into the wall of the temple. "I won't stop with your guards!" she laughed madly.  
  
"Sonefor, who.. who is - that?" stuttered Captain Orhile, plainly terrified. Sonefor couldn't answer the poor hylian captain-Antia had just slain him with one blow from her scythe.  
  
"I don't understand!" screamed King Sonefor, frustrated. "We were allies!"  
  
However, Antia kept advancing. "Were, fool," she grinned. "It's all over now."  
  
Sonefor held his position. "You may be able to slay innocent guards by surprise, traitor. But you must forget that I am not innocent and no longer surprised. So get ready!" He whipped out his sword and it clashed with the scythe of the powerful Gerudo Queen.  
  
"With you and my fool of a sister out of the picture," Anita growled, "there will be nothing to stand in my way. I will soon be the Queen of Hyrule!"  
  
Sonefor danced to the left and the scythe flew past him. "I'm still standing!" he panted, parrying another blow with his sword. "Hell is the only place you'll be Queen of!"  
  
Antia didn't answer, but snarled and released a vicious barrage of blows on Sonefor. Blood dripped from many wounds, but the determined king stood firm, clutching his sword. "Let's go, old man!" Antia taunted as a sudden flash of lightning illuminated her rage-stricken face. Sonefor needed no second invitation. He charged the Queen. Suddenly, she whipped out a dagger and sent it spinning towards the king. It struck him in the side, and he crashed to his knees.  
  
Antia laughed, madly. "Nice try, Sonefor. But you have failed." Sonefor gasped for air as pain overtook him. A puddle of blood formed around the dying king, constantly expanding with the fall of the rain.  
  
"Why?" he managed to say through ragged gasps.  
  
"Why?" said Antia cheerfully. "Because there was no point in letting you live. If I was to declare war on your hylians, I'd rather you not be there to direct them. Besides," she added coolly, kneeling down next to Sonefor so that he was looking up into her crystalline blue eyes, "what is there worth living for?"  
  
He narrowed his eyes and with his final breath stuttered: "It would be worth living just to destroy a bitch like you." Then, Antia rammed her scythe through his stomach and the greatest king Hyrule had ever known closed his eyes and died.  
  
* * *  
  
Era looked up as her sister walked into the chamber. "Where were you, Antia?" she asked. "I have been waiting."  
  
Antia slumped to the ground, exhausted and drenched. "Forget that, Era," she said, "I will tell you later." There was an awkward silence. Antia spoke again. "Do you remember Vlorack at all?" she asked her sister.  
  
Era raised an eyebrow at the question. "Well, yes. That was twenty years ago. You were two years old and I was only nine. I remember Vlorack walking into my room by mistake one day and saw me holding you. Mother was already dead, of course; she died right after having you. Vlorack took one look at you and stopped dead in his tracks. Suddenly, his eyes glowed with radiant yellow light and he spoke. 'She is the one,' he said. 'Darkness is imminent.' I will never forget those words. When I asked him about it later, he denied ever saying it." There was a pause. Then, "Why do you ask?"  
  
Antia flashed her a smile. "I was wondering how one as powerful as Vlorack could be defeated by such a weakling of a hylian."  
  
"Now, sister," said Era. "Don't go insulting Sonefor just yet. He and his hylians are still our greatest allies, you know."  
  
"Well that's what I need to talk to you about," replied Antia. "Sonefor is dead. I killed him myself."  
  
Era leapt up. "Antia, why?" she demanded. "Now darkness truly is imminent- for the Gerudo people!"  
  
But Antia stayed calm. "Calm down, sister," she said, smiling. "Haven't you learned, in all our years together, that I have always have a plan?" Suddenly, she leapt up, whipped out her scythe, and ran Era through. "I kill anyone who could possibly stand in my way, and then I rule Hyrule," the Queen laughed.  
  
Era had a look of stricken terror plastered upon her face. "Why have you done this?" she stuttered. "We could have ruled alongside one another, like we always have!"  
  
"Oh, please, Era!" sneered Antia. "We both knew it was just a matter of time before something like this happened. I just had the guts to try it first." She yanked the scythe from her sister's body. Era winced.  
  
She struggled to speak again. "The Gerudos or hylians won't stand for this," she gasped. "It will be chaos for everyone."  
  
Antia grinned. "That's what I want, fool!"  
  
"But sister," replied Era, "you'll have to live in that chaos as well." Then, her eyes clouded over and she collapsed to the ground, never to rise again.  
  
* * *  
  
Rumors spread through Gerudo Fortress like wildfire. One of their queens, Era, had been betrayed and murdered by her most trusted captain, Enteye. The unfortunate captain was seized while patrolling the halls. She was stripped down, tied to a stake in the front of the fortress, and left there overnight. Now, the whole of the Gerudo population stood in the early morning damp and dew, bowing their heads in memory of their former queen, while Antia spoke to them over his sister's grave.  
  
"I am your one and only Queen, now," she said. Her voice was quiet, yet no one missed a word. "Era ruled well, but I promise to surpass even her!"  
  
The Gerudos raised their spears and cheered.  
  
Antia yelled over the noise. "The hylians will pay for corrupting one of our captains to kill our beloved queen! Today, the Gerudos march to war once again!"  
  
The cheers were deafening.  
  
Two Gerudo guards stepped forward with torches and lit the stake ablaze. Enteye howled in pain. Her skin was blackening, turning crisp, and her screams fell short as smoke entered her lungs. The Gerudos roared their approval, and pressed closer and closer around the burning stake until the front lines could feel the heat of the embers in their masked faces.  
  
Antia stood alone to the side, smiling to herself. Three of her greatest enemies lay dead- Sonefor, Era, and now Enteye. Everything was going according to plan.  
  
* * *  
  
"The real question is," Captain Ion pointed out, "who will rule us now?" He looked around at the captains sitting down at the circular pine table.  
  
Next to him was Prince Zenk, the seventeen-year-old son of Sonefor, who was found lying dead near the recently completed temple. Sitting beside Zenk was Captain Farhill, brother of the slain Orhile and master of strategic war. Directly across from Ion was the head of the defensive units, Levin Baster. Beside him sat Atron Doren, the offensive captain, Darron, the goron king, and Ankor, the representative of the zora race. Sonefor was found with a large wound in his stomach. Hylian doctors studied the corpses of their king and the other slain hylians and discovered that a hooked, probably double-sided scythe had made the wounds and caused the deaths. When Captain Ion found this out, he muttered "Antia" and then ran off and summoned the other captains to the council room.  
  
"According to our laws, you must be at least eighteen years of age to become King of Hyrule. Prince Zenk has yet another year," Ion continued. "But this is an emergency. We are on the brink of war. I knew it had to be Queen Antia of the Gerudos as soon as I saw the wounds. I do not know what she is up to, but we must stop her."  
  
"I agree," said Atron Doren, "but everybody knows to let your enemy make the first move."  
  
Prince Zenk leapt up. "They have already made their move!" he pointed out. "My father lies dead. Now it's our turn to attack!"  
  
There was silence.  
  
"The Prince is right," said Ankor the zora. "If we don't do something, Antia will. And we all agree we don't want that."  
  
Another pause followed.  
  
"The gorons will be willing to help," said Darron. "After so many years of peace it will be good to march into battle. We are restless."  
  
Ankor nodded, "The same for my people."  
  
Ion sighed. "It appears that war is inevitable."  
  
"But we still need a king," said Captain Farhill. "We cannot withstand the power of the Gerudos, even with the zoras and gorons at our sides, without a strong ruler. The Gerudos have one, and so must we."  
  
'I never thought we would want to be like the wretched Gerudos,' Zenk said to himself. If only Father were here. He would know exactly what to do. Which is why he was murdered.'  
  
* * *  
  
Dak had always liked Antia better than Era. Being a brother to both of them, he never supported his older sister and always followed Antia. He could tell that Antia had actually murdered Era, but he kept quiet. The strong twenty-four-year-old male Gerudo now stood in Antia's chamber, arms crossed as he listened to the debate.  
  
Just as the hylians were across the realm, the Gerudo captains were deciding what to do first. Gerudo debates were much different than those of the hylians, however. Antia took in all the ideas she liked and attacked the others. The silver-tongued Gerudo Queen convinced her captains to do whatever she thought would work. If one captain disagreed, Antia would turn on her and crush her ideas, either with her words or with her scythe.  
  
This time, Antia decided to dismantle the enemy, piece by piece. First, she would attack the zoras. They were the weakest. Once Hyrule Castle's water supply was cut short by the raid of Zora's Domain, the Gerudos would surround the castle.  
  
Once the hylians need for water was to great to resist, they would leave the castle in search for it, running straight into the blockade of Gerudo warriors. After killing many of the hylian soldiers this way, the Gerudos would storm the fortress, slay the survivors, and claim the castle.  
  
And lastly, they would take the powerful gorons. Head to head, the gorons were much stronger than the Gerudos. But, with overwhelming numbers, long range tactics, and the expertise of Gerudo marksmen and axe-throwers, Antia's female forces would triumph over the mountain-dwelling rock-eaters.  
  
"We will start tomorrow," Antia told her captains. "Any who refuse to fight will be put to death." She whipped around, her long, yellow hair flowing behind her, and walked away, leaving her brother and captains very much satisfied. 


	3. Dark Prophecy

I do not own Zelda. If I did, I wouldn't be taking the time to write stories for web sites, I would probably be basking in the sun near a giant swimming pool while the beautiful afternoon crawled by and I did whatever really rich people do.  
  
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"Raker?" Antia said, as she went down on one knee before the dark man before her. "How nice to see you again!"  
  
Raker wore brown, ragged clothes that were ripped in many places. He had dark hair that covered his left eye, hiding half of an ugly scar that ran across his suspicious face. "Why are you here, Queen?" he asked in a cold voice. "I don't remember inviting you."  
  
Antia rose, an insincere smile on her face, and spoke. "When did the sense of mistrust come into play? The last I knew, we were a powerful alliance."  
  
"The mistrust has always been there," replied Raker, seeing right through Antia's phony cheerfulness. "At least on my side. Don't get me wrong, Antia, you're an excellent queen and an even better warrior-to your own people. But to other leaders, you are naught but a great threat. We know that you would turn your back on us in a second." Raker turned, his old, brown cape whipping behind him. His voice dropped to a whisper. "Just as you did the hylian king and your own sister."  
  
"How do you know about that?" Antia snarled.  
  
Before she could whip out her scythe, she found a score of Gerudo warriors, all with deadly arrows notched on powerful bows.  
  
These were not the neat, uniformed Gerudo thieves that Antia was used to. These Gerudos were barefoot, and covered in sand and dirt. Their hair flowed unevenly down to their waists, and they wore no masks, exposing wicked battle-scars. They had on what little ragged garments they could find. Despite their unimpressive appearance Antia could tell the Gerudos were highly trained thieves and seasoned warriors.  
  
When Raker turned back, he was holding a beautiful razor sword. "Forgive me for having spies, your Highness," he said mockingly. "Now listen, Antia. You must have a reason for traveling all the way across the desert to my temple. Now, tell me what it is, or I will give my archers the word!"  
  
Antia nodded. "You know that Sonefor is dead," she started. "My plan is to take over Hyrule Castle before the hylians elect another strong leader."  
  
"Oh, is that all?" Raker sneered sarcastically.  
  
"Listen!" Antia hissed. "We are both Gerudo leaders. My strategy is fail- proof. With our combined forces, nothing could stand in our way!"  
  
Raker seemed to be inspecting the blade in his hands. "We are not really true Gerudo, you know," he tonelessly. "Ever since my father and his followers were banished to that realm-Corland, was it? -I have been living here. My mother and some of her Gerudos built this place, you know. She called it the Temple of Spirits. Once she was found dead somewhere in the desert, I took over. The Gerudos that join me here learn to be rugged and independent. They forage the desert for food and clothing, and often don't find either of them. It lets them develop into their greatest potential. My Gerudos are superior to yours in every way!"  
  
Antia narrowed her eyes. She wanted to turn, walk from the room, and declare war on Raker's warriors, but she knew her people didn't stand a chance against four powerful armies. Her Gerudos were a lot more skilled than Raker thought them to be, but they weren't that good.  
  
So instead, she smiled sweetly. "What of it?" she asked. "Why create the perfect fighter if you don't even use her?"  
  
The disguised insult hit home. Raker growled. "I will show you that I'm not afraid to fight," he said. "Now let's here your plan, and be on with the war!"  
  
Sooner or later, the deceitful Queen Antia outsmarted all opposition.  
  
* * *  
  
The zoras were caught totally off guard on a normal, bright morning.  
  
The Gerudos swung into the domain, hacking and slashing. They outnumbered the surprised zoras at least three to one. A few tried to fight, but were quickly overcome and slain. The remaining zoras dove into the pool of blood-red water and swam to the bottom, where they grouped together and wept.  
  
One of these zoras was Ankor. "Listen," he told his few companions. A dozen of us were slain in less than a minute. We cannot fight them. But there is a chance."  
  
Above the water, Antia and Raker stood watching the surface. "Only a few remain," said Antia indifferently. "We should leave some guards here to slay them if they come out, so we can go about phase two of my plan."  
  
Raker nodded silently.  
  
Not one of the Gerudos had been lost, and yet one race was already down and out of the newborn war.  
  
* * *  
  
Zenk was having nightmares. In his mind, he saw his father standing before him. Suddenly, a dark figure with a double-sided scythe hacked off Sonefor's legs. The dead king was screaming in pain.  
  
Zenk cried out and leapt at the dark figure, but it disappeared into the shadows, cackling.  
  
"One down, two to go," Zenk heard a cold voice say. "Next for the body."  
  
The young prince woke up sweating. He stood up. "The zoras," he murmured, disbelieving. "She's gone for the zoras!" Then, he ran off to find Captain Ion.  
  
* * *  
  
Zenk suddenly understood everything. Words with an unknown source came pouring from his mouth as  
  
Captain Ion nodded, a grim smile upon his face. "You've had your first prophecy, my Prince," said Ion. "If what you say is truly happening, we must act quickly."  
  
Just then, a maiden named Shina came running up to them. The young hylian woman had always been quite taken with Prince Zenk, though the prince had not yet revealed to her that the feeling was not mutual. She straightened up and gave him a loving smile. "Brave Prince and Captain," she reported, trying her very best to sound important, "there are two visitors to see you at the main gates."  
  
Zenk and Ion exchanged a worried glance.  
  
Ion turned back to maiden. "What did they look like?" the captain pressed. "Were they Gerudo?"  
  
Shina shuffled her feet nervously under the stern gaze of the great war leader. "Of course not, sir," she mumbled. "There were two young hylian women, and they say they've come from a far away realm."  
  
Ion and Zenk started down the main hall, followed quickly by Shina and two armed guards. When the band reached the front gate, the sentry saluted. "Here they are, sirs," he said.  
  
Two cloaked hylian women stepped into the castle, shivering from the cold of the outside night. "Well, it sure took you long enough," said one of the women sarcastically.  
  
Zenk could tell from her voice that she was around twenty years of age. She lowered the hood of the cloak, revealing a pretty face, with a hint of wisdom but mostly the innocence of a curious youth. Her dark eyes glittered, and long, black hair flowed down to her shoulders.  
  
Her companion did the same. Zenk took in a breath. Before him was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. She looked about his age, and mist- filled yet bright blue eyes stared straight back at the speechless prince. Her golden-red hair was pulled back, exposing a slim, elfin face. She smiled, and Zenk realized he was gawking.  
  
Shina was hurt. Tears threatened her stunned green eyes, and she looked upon the stranger with envy greater than even her admiration of her prince. No one noticed her running back to her room, her face glistening as she wept bitterly.  
  
The dark-haired women spoke. "Well met," she said. "I am Leen of Fort Toren and this is my friend and long-time companion, Aridwyn." Zenk had found his voice. "Welcome to Hyrule Castle, Leen and Aridwyn. My name is Zenk, Prince of Hyrule, and this is my head captain, Ion." He bowed.  
  
Ion followed the young prince's example, but then got right to the point. "You've wandered into the middle of a war, Leen," he said.  
  
He and Zenk exchanged a glance which plainly meant that neither Prince nor Captain knew whether to trust the strangers. Zenk couldn't help wanted to trust the beautiful Aridwyn and her friend, though he wouldn't put it past Antia to come up with a scheme like this. However, he wondered, if it was one of the evil Queen's plots, would not he have been warned of it in his prophecy? Zenk decided to trust the strangers. They were, after all, hylians, and he felt obliged to help those of his own kin. Not only that, but he knew he could not face the pleading eyes of Aridwyn if he refused to take them in.  
  
* * *  
  
The sun had finally peeked its way out from behind the darkened horizon of Zenk's realm.  
  
The young prince, his head captain Ion, Leen, and Aridwyn were sitting in the Main Hall, enjoying an early breakfast as they discussed important matters. Ion had put Captain Farhill in charge of an operation in which scores of soldiers hauled buckets of water from the nearby Zora's River to Hyrule Castle's kitchens to be cleaned and preserved. Because of Zenk's prophecy, Ion knew all of Antia's strategy, and decided to collect as much water as possible to outlast the siege the Gerudos had planned for them. Levin Bastor's defensive squad stood watch over the operation in case Antia's forces appeared.  
  
Leen had nodded her head in approval at the idea, and so had Aridwyn. "I don't really know if this prophecy stuff can be trusted," Aridwyn had told Ion, "but it is an excellent plan." At this, Zenk had suddenly started to wish he had come up with the idea.  
  
Leen told the prince and captain that their escort would be arriving shortly. "He met us at the edge of Hyrule," the dark-haired maiden had said, "and led us to your castle."  
  
A guard walked into the hall, followed by a stranger. The man had sullen, dark eyes and was clad lightly with a simple brown cloak. "Ah, Zegonin," Leen stood up. So did Aridwyn.  
  
Zegonin nodded to Leen, and then walked over to Aridwyn and hugged her lightly. The beautiful maiden smiled and hugged back.  
  
Zenk had to hold back from crying out in dismay. Aridwyn had fallen in love with her escort! 


	4. Fatal Love, Fatal Lust

I do not own Zelda. If I did, I wouldn't be taking the time to write stories for web sites, I would probably be basking in the sun near a giant swimming pool while the beautiful afternoon crawled by and I did whatever really rich people do.  
  
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Captain Farhill ran into the room, panting. "Ion! Zenk!" he cried. "Antia's here! Levin Bastor and his soldiers held them off so the water carriers and I could get inside. I doubt they'll last much longer!"  
  
Ion and the Prince leapt up. "Sound the alarm!" Zenk ordered a guard. "Farhill? Line up the archers on the south wall. Have them stay low and out of sight until Antia comes into sight. Train all your arrows on her. I will do the rest." Farhill saluted and ran off.  
  
Zenk hurried to the gates, Ion at his heels with Leen, Aridwyn, and Zegonin. Much to the others' surprise and confusion, Zenk opened the gates and stepped outside, joining Levin Bastor in front of a score of defensive hylian soldiers.  
  
Antia strode into view and smirked at him. "You are greatly outnumbered, even with any more troops you have inside," she said. "Turn the castle over to us or die."  
  
Zenk calmly stood out in the open, sitting duck for any stray spear or arrow. "Go ahead, traitor," the prince said, trying his very best to hide the hatred that was swelling up inside of him at his father's killer. "Slay me as you did Sonefor."  
  
A sound of spears being drawn and raised followed throughout the Gerudo ranks. Zenk's face was expressionless. Suddenly, Antia saw at least two score archers appear on the ramparts of the castle. Every bow was aimed straight at her heart, every arrow notched back and ready to strike down the queen on the spot.  
  
"It's your choice, Antia," Zenk laughed at the look of terror on his enemy's face. His voice lacked pity for the Gerudo queen, and his cold, blue eyes were fixed upon her in a hardened stare. "Either we both live, or we both die," he went on. "Decide now."  
  
Everyone waited with baited breath for Antia's answer. "Lower your weapons!" she finally commanded her troops. They obeyed, and the queen turned back to Zenk. "You haven't won," she growled. "We will be back."  
  
The Gerudos turned and marched back towards their fortress, defeated but not yet finished. A ragged cheer of relief arose from the hylian soldiers as they retreated to the safety of Hyrule Castle.  
  
* * *  
  
Ankor and his fellow zora captives were in despair. It seemed as though Antia and Raker had thought of everything. They had boarded up the shortcut to Lake Hylia, posted experienced guards at every exit, and even started to pour different kinds of poisons into the water, trying to force the zoras to the surface.  
  
Ankor sighed. They were prisoners in their own home.  
  
* * *  
  
The siege the Gerudos had planned was not going well. Farhill's water carriers had been clever enough to hide the buckets so that Antia knew nothing of the huge store of water in the hylian kitchens.  
  
A little heat was rising between the two generals. "Open your eyes, Queen!" shouted Raker. "It will be another eight seasons before they even begin to thirst!"  
  
"Obviously, you have a better idea. Let's here it, scum face!" Antia shot back.  
  
Raker threw himself at her and grabbed her collar roughly. "Say that again," he growled.  
  
Antia spun around, forcing Raker to lose his hold, and whipped out her scythe. Raker drew his sword quickly. The blades clashed, and the two eyed each other with hate.  
  
A young captain named Arfan came running up to them but stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the grapple. Antia straightened up and slung her scythe across her back. "What is it, Arfan?" she asked irritably, her eyes not leaving those of Raker.  
  
"Mightiness, there has been no sign from the castle that the inhabitants are suffering at all."  
  
Antia turned to face her, a fire blazing in her maddened eyes. Arfan recoiled in fear.  
  
"What else is new, flea brain?" the queen yelled. "I will not retreat again!" Arfan knew not to talk while Antia was in this state.  
  
But one was brave enough to interrupt the queen's rage. "You asked if I had a better idea," came the soft voice of Raker, "and I do."  
  
Antia's mood quickly changed. "Listen friend," she said, smiling openly as she turned back to the Desert General. "Why don't you come a little farther this way with me. Arfan, you may go. Do not bother us any more with trivial information."  
  
The Gerudo captain was greatly relieved. She wasted no time in getting away from the unpredictable queen.  
  
Raker kept his hand on the hilt of his sword as Antia led him away from the Gerudo host. "I can't see why we are fighting," she said, a mixture of apology and sincerity ringing in her voice. "I don't want to fight you," she went on, now smiling almost lovingly.  
  
Raker did not believe the queen for one moment, but he stayed silent to see where Antia was going with it.  
  
Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I can't fight you, Raker. Do you know why?"  
  
The Desert General shook his head silently.  
  
Antia looked up at him, an expression on her face that Raker had never seen before. "I love you," she whispered to him. "Go ahead, don't believe me. Run me through right now."  
  
But Raker did not. The great double-edged blade fell from his hand and landed harmlessly upon the moist grass. He stepped forward and took her hand in his. "I believe you, Queen," he comforted her softly.  
  
The sun disappeared beneath the horizon, and long shadows covered up the scene as Nayru did her work.  
  
* * *  
  
Raker was beginning to see Antia in a whole new light. If he wasn't convinced before that she meant what she said, he certainly was now. The two generals walked everywhere together hand in hand. When the Gerudos noticed this, many of them lost faith in their leaders.  
  
One of the captains, a swift and strong warrior named Aboora, sneered at the sight and whispered to Arfan who was sharpening her sword beside her. "She's gone soft," murmured Aboora. "I bet she only recruited the desert Gerudos for Raker."  
  
Unfortunately for her, Antia had keen hearing. In an instant, the queen's scythe was pressed up against Aboora's chest. "Do you think you could rule any better than I?" Her voice was surprisingly calm.  
  
Aboora swallowed, but she was not about to be bested in front of the whole Gerudo army. "Drop that scythe and then we'll talk," said the captain.  
  
Antia raised an eyebrow. "Why don't you hold this," she said, smiling, and handed Aboora the scythe. Se turned and called to Raker, exposing her vulnerable back to Aboora, daring her to go for it. Aboora closed her eyes and thrust the scythe towards the queen. In a flash, Antia rolled to the right and the scythe struck nothing but air. Antia quickly kicked it out of Aboora's hands and leapt up.  
  
"Come on, now," she taunted. "It has come to rebellion, so why don't you rebel?"  
  
Aboora's nerve left her at the sight of the maddened queen, eyes flashing dangerously. She turned and ran.  
  
With lightning-quick reflexes, Antia flipped and landed in front of Aboora. A quick kick to the stomach sent the captain crashing to her knees, and a powerful jab between the eyes laid her flat. Antia calmly walked over to her scythe and flipped it up into her hand.  
  
Aboora looked up in terror. Antia's pitiless eyes blazed with victory.  
  
"My Queen, please," Aboora whimpered. "I didn't mean it! Arfan told me to, I swear on the wind of Fa-" Her pleas were cut short as Antia stabbed her through the heart, silencing the once powerful Gerudo captain forever.  
  
The Queen's face showed no emotion as she strapped her scythe across her shoulders. "Arfan, dispose of the body. Raker, come with me." She turned to her troops. "I'm leaving Foralin in charge," she said. "Follow him as you would me."  
  
Even the hardest warriors shuddered in fear.  
  
Foralin wasn't kokiri, hylian, zora, or even Gerudo. Foralin was death. Foralin was goron.  
  
* * *  
  
Though Zegonin displayed good manners and was obviously a seasoned warrior, there was something about him that Zenk didn't like. He was sure it wasn't just because of Aridwyn. Nevertheless, the young prince treated him with respect and tried to forget about the beautiful maiden he was engaged to.  
  
That night, Leen was shown to one room and Zegonin and Aridwyn to another.  
  
Zegonin spoke softly to the maiden. "Is this place safe?" he asked.  
  
Aridwyn took his hand. "These people are so nice, but they are at war," she whispered back. "I doubt it's safe to stay for much longer."  
  
They took a seat on the bed. Silence followed.  
  
Zegonin looked into her eyes. "You are so beautiful," he said quietly. "It's a pity I have to kill you." Suddenly, he drew his sword and swung it at the frightened maiden.  
  
But Zenk was there in a flash. With a mighty leap he put himself in between Aridwyn and the traitor. Zegonin growled. "You aren't supposed to be here!" he yelled as the swords clashed in midair.  
  
"Aridwyn, get out!" ordered Zenk. "Get Captain Ion and bring him here!" The maiden awoke from her state of shock and ran from the room.  
  
Zegonin lunged at Zenk. The young prince parried the blow and took a step back from the powerful swordsman.  
  
"Traitor," he accused. "Why have you come here, Zegonin?"  
  
The dark man twirled his sword and laughed. "If you are going to ask me questions, address me correctly," he said. "I am not Zegonin-I am Dak, brother of the Queen Antia, scourge of the Gerudo people."  
  
Zenk narrowed his eyes. "And she sent you to kill me," he finished.  
  
Dak grinned. Suddenly, he picked up a small wooden table and hurled it at Zenk. The prince was pinned to the ground. "You haven't seen the last of me!" Dak snarled and leapt out the open window just as Ion, Leen, Aridwyn, and two guards rushed in.  
  
The head captain helped Prince Zenk to his feet. The prince turned to the Aridwyn and Leen.  
  
"Your escort Zegonin was really the brother of my father's killer," he said angrily. "Lucky Sonefor appeared in my dreams, or none of us would be here now. I thank you dearly for bringing the enemy in my home!"  
  
He stormed off, leaving Ion speechless and the two hylian women wounded by his harsh words.  
  
* * *  
  
The next morning, Antia and Raker appeared at the castle gates with a score of desert warriors at their backs.  
  
Atron Doren, working atop the ramparts, stuck his head out and called down to them. "What do you want, scum bags?"  
  
Antia stepped forward and looked up at him. "Where is Prince Zenk?" she asked. "I would like a few words with him."  
  
"The prince has more important things to do than deal with the likes of you!" Doren retorted.  
  
Antia smiled. "No doubt he has," she called up to him. "Then we'll just have to slay these nice zoras." The Queen nodded to one of her captains and the Gerudos knocked five bound zoras to the ground at the feet of Antia with the butts of their spears.  
  
Doren narrowed his eyes.  
  
Ankor managed to raise his head. "Atron don't! Don't give in to these-" he was knocked unconscious by a swing from Antia's scythe. "Good night," she grinned as she lifted the blade high over her head.  
  
"Wait!" shouted Doren. "What do you want?"  
  
Antia lowered the scythe and looked up at him. "I knew you would come to your senses," she laughed. "Listen. You must all leave the castle and bow down to the new King and Queen of Hyrule. All those who refuse will be slain. Do we have a deal?"  
  
Doren snarled at the thought of Antia ruling Hyrule, but he kept his cool. "The decision is not mine to make," he called. "The captains will discuss the issue. Come back on the marrow at sundown. We will have your answer."  
  
Antia agreed and the Gerudo force marched away.  
  
Doren pounded his fist against the wall and cursed. What were they supposed to do now? 


	5. Dare to Hope

I do not own Zelda. If I did, I wouldn't be taking the time to write stories for web sites, I would probably be basking in the sun near a giant swimming pool while the beautiful afternoon crawled by and I did whatever really rich people do.  
  
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While Zenk and his captains were straining to come up with an idea to free Ankor's zoras, Antia and Raker were relaxing inside their stronghold.  
  
The army was still patrolling the perimeter of Hyrule Castle under the watchful eye of Foralin, the black goron. Arfan and a select few guarded the base of Death Mountain, preventing the gorons from sending any messengers to the hylian fortress, while Dak and ten others accompanied the two generals.  
  
Antia poured a glass of wine for her comrade. "Thank you, my love," said Raker.  
  
As they drank, Dak walked up to them. Though Antia was irritated with her brother for failing the mission, she motioned for him to sit down.  
  
"Here you are, brother," she said. "Have some wine. Soon, the hylians will fall and the Gerudos will prevail. There is no use blaming you for mistakes that will make no difference. Besides, I have decided I want to kill the prince myself." She raised her glass, grinning. "Tomorrow, we will be the rulers of Hyrule! You and me, Raker, my dear brother Dak, the fearful Foralin, and even Captain Arfan shall be rewarded, as she has served me well. Here's a toast to the downfall of the hylians, and the rise of our superior race!"  
  
After drinking, Dak returned to his chamber and Raker escorted Antia back to her room.  
  
She hung her scythe on the wall and turned to the Desert General. "Fools, love, every one of them," she laughed. "My brother will live, but Foralin is not Gerudo and Arfan will one day challenge our authority. Therefor they must both die. But first, I will let them aid me in the final blow against the hylians."  
  
Raker threw his sheathed sword to the pine floor. "How do I know you won't do the same to me?" he asked her.  
  
Antia grinned at him. She laid down on her back on the straw mat and looked over at Raker with her misty blue eyes, her face gleaming in the dim moonlight. "Now why would I do that?" she whispered.  
  
* * *  
  
At that precise moment, Aridwyn was creeping silently away from Hyrule Castle. It was near impossible; the hillside was literally crawling with Gerudo warriors. Even though the young maiden was disguised as one of the desert thieves, she knew the trick wouldn't last long and it would be best not to be seen as she worked her way past the guards.  
  
A movement to the left caught her eye. Quickly, she ducked behind a nearby maple tree.  
  
"Where are we going, Foralin?" came the soft voice of a Gerudo. By her uniform Aridwyn could tell the speaker was some kind of captain.  
  
But it was the dark form beside her that Aridwyn's wide blue eyes were fixed on. She had seen a few gorons in Hyrule Castle; before the Gerudo siege they had come and gone as they pleased. This was no normal goron. He was colored black from head to foot, and his glowing red eyes were the only way Aridwyn could see him in the dim light of the moon. His darkened features were expressionless as his sullen eyes darted right and left.  
  
Aridwyn gulped. The goron turned and looked straight at the tree that the frightened maiden cowered behind.  
  
Suddenly, a Gerudo guard ran up to the captain. "Banora reporting, Captain," she said loudly. Both the goron and his companion whipped around to face Banora.  
  
It was all Aridwyn needed. As quietly as she could, she scampered away from the frightening goron and the army of Gerudo warriors, none of them aware that they had been bested by a single hylian maiden.  
  
* * *  
  
The guard looked up as another Gerudo walked into the room. "What's the report?" she said lazily.  
  
Without stopping, the silent Gerudo drew her spear and ran it through the stomach of the guard. Two other guards cried in surprise and leapt at the warrior, swinging their swords. She quickly ducked under the blades and stabbed the Gerudos.  
  
The silent warrior undid her face mask and started to cut the ropes that bound the zoras before her.  
  
"Who are you?" Ankor asked.  
  
She looked over at him and smiled. "I'm from Hyrule Castle," she whispered. "My name is Aridwyn."  
  
Once all of the zoras were free, Aridwyn spoke to Ankor. "It would be impossible to get all of you back to the castle with those guards everywhere. Instead, we shall go to Death Mountain and stay with King Darronn's gorons until Prince Zenk does something about the siege."  
  
Ankor nodded in approval, and they set out quietly, as to not awake the slumbering Gerudos in the nearby chambers.  
  
* * *  
  
Zenk and his captains would have loved to know that Ankor's zoras were free and safely making their way to Death Mountain. They had been conferring over dinner for the past two hours and no one could come up with a good plan. Tempers were running high and the atmosphere was miserable.  
  
"They have our allies as captives, we're greatly outnumbered, and we don't even have a king," Zenk said gloomily.  
  
Suddenly, Leen ran into the council hall, her bloodshot eyes glistening and her face stained with dried tears. "If it's any consolation at all, Prince," she cried, "the fool Aridwyn can't be found, so you won't have to worry about her messing thing up again!" Before anyone could say a word, she rushed from the room, sobbing.  
  
"Who does that girl think she is, barging into the council room and insulting the prince?" Levin Baster said aloud.  
  
Farhill glared at him. "She was just informing us, Baster. Why are you always the one complaining?"  
  
Immediately, all of the captains started shouting and arguing.  
  
"Quiet!" yelled Zenk, leaping to his feet. "Captains, right! You are acting like a bunch of fools! That's enough of this for tonight. Get to your chambers and we'll discuss our next move in the morning, because apparently you can't handle night council!" The prince's tone was so severe and his face so full of anger that no one dared argue.  
  
Zenk collapsed into his bed and looked to the sky, dreading the coming of dawn and the rising of the sun.  
  
* * *  
  
King Darronn paced about his chamber on the lowest level of the city of the gorons atop Death Mountain. He sighed restlessly and awaited the coming of morning, each day bringing him closer to a war that was inevitable.  
  
* * *  
  
Queen Antia knew she was playing a dangerous game. Because Raker possessed sharp instincts and vicious fighting skills, she was apprehensive about trusting him. Ruling was always better alone, so she decided to sleep and wait for the new dawn to make her move.  
  
* * *  
  
Ankor, camped with Aridwyn and the rest of the zora survivors at the base of Death Mountain, looked to the purple sky. He laid down and remembered with sorrow the peaceful seasons that were no more, awaiting the day where they would begin their rocky ascent to the safety of Goron City.  
  
* * *  
  
Many were waiting to see what the new day would bring. Indeed, only one race was at ease, safely hidden within the protective boughs of a magical forest under the watchful eye of an ancient oak.  
  
  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED... You know the rule. Give me some reviews, and I'll give you some more chapters. 


	6. Friendship and Betrayal

I do not own Zelda. If I did, I wouldn't be taking the time to write stories for web sites, I would probably be basking in the sun near a giant swimming pool while the beautiful afternoon crawled by and I did whatever really rich people do.  
  
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Aridwyn. Zenk cringed every time he heard the name. He wanted to love her, but she had brought on nothing but misfortune since she walked into the castle a few days ago. Now she was missing because of him.  
  
On top of that, the sun was sinking beneath the horizon and the prince knew it wouldn't be long until Antia arrived. But she never came. Hours passed and no one showed up at the castle gates.  
  
Zenk was waiting atop the ramparts. "What do you think she's up to?" he asked Ion uneasily.  
  
The head captain was just as apprehensive as the young prince. "I don't know," he confessed. "Hopefully something happened to either her or the captives, but it might be part of another scheme she's cooking up."  
  
Zenk sighed impatiently and looked to the horizon, still half-expecting the Gerudo army to come marching over the hill, led by the notorious queen whom he had vowed to slay.  
  
* * *  
  
Queen Antia was not notorious for being a fool. As soon as she found out the captives had escaped, she decided it was time to rid herself of Raker. Wasting no time, she sent Dak out to return the forces back to the Gerudo stronghold. Then, she spoke to Raker.  
  
"My love," she started, "I have an important job for you. Take five of my best trackers and get on the trail of the escaped zoras. If we can get them back, we can take the castle and you and I can have a little fun as King and Queen. You'd do that for me, wouldn't you?"  
  
Raker nodded, "I'll start at dawn."  
  
Antia smiled. "Would you like to come to my room?" she asked silkily. "There's a job I have to do first." Raker grinned and headed off to the queen's chamber.  
  
As soon as he was out of earshot, Antia threw her head back and laughed. "Fool!" Then, she went off to find five of her best fighters.  
  
* * *  
  
Just as the last rays of the sun disappeared and darkness reigned the summer sky, Aridwyn and Ankor were let into Goron City, where they were quickly fed, bathed, and shown to their rooms.  
  
Lord Darronn climbed three flights of stairs and spoke to a huge barn owl that perched on a long rope which stretched across the whole of the city. "Kaepor," the mighty goron addressed the owl. "I need your help. Will you take a message to Hyrule Castle for me?"  
  
The owl nodded silently and glared at the goron king with its huge unblinking eyes. Darronn, who had Aridwyn write the message on parchement in the fancy hylian script, now tied it to Kaepor's talon.  
  
"Fly now!" he said. "The fate of Hyrule rests on your wings." Kaepor took to the air and soared out of the city and into the cool night sky, where the stars twinkled and lit up the dark scene.  
  
King Darronn retreated to his chamber. It was too late now to change his mind. He knew his gorons would follow him to the very gates of hell. Unfortunately, that was exactly where he was taking them.  
  
* * *  
  
Raker cried out in pain. The spear had gone directly into his side. He fell to his knees.  
  
"Let's get this over with," murmured the Gerudo who had stabbed him, "so we can get back to Queen Antia." She quickly brought the spear over her hand.  
  
But she never got the chance to swing it down. A dagger was in her stomach. Raker flipped up and drew his sword, cautiously facing the four armed Gerudos before him.  
  
"Antia ordered us to kill you," sad one of them, "and that's what we plan to do!"  
  
Raker growled threateningly. "Damn you, fool!" he muttered under his breath. Antia had laid the trap, and he had walked into it blindly.  
  
Suddenly, he lunged at the nearest Gerudo. She didn't have time to raise her spear in defense. She crumpled, dead, and toppled on her side.  
  
The remaining warriors flung themselves at Raker, but suddenly he vanished. One of the thieves heard a voice whispering in her ear. "The General of the Desert does not fall so easily, my dear." A sword flashed and the thief drew her final breath.  
  
The two Gerudos that were left had lost most of their confidence. Raker twirled his sword expretly. One of them turned and bolted, but a well- placed dagger caught her in the back of the neck. She went down with a gurgle.  
  
Only one of the five original warriors remained.  
  
"I am not going to kill you," said Raker softly to the petrified Gerudo. He placed his sword to her throat. "But it's not out of pity. You are going to return to your Queen and tell her I still live. Tell her that I will always be lurking nearby, waiting for her to be alone. The first time I catch her without guards," he shoved the sword closer to the shivering theif, "she is as dead as a stone." He relaxed the double edged blade. The Gerudo breathed again. "Now go!"  
  
* * *  
  
Zenk didn't even look up as Captain Farhill entered his room. The hylian prince was clutching a small seashell in his right hand. It was magnificently carved by nature, and though it was no bigger than the hilt of a sword, Farhill got the feeling it contained immense magic.  
  
"Where did you get it?" he asked.  
  
When Zenk spoke, it was in a low voice that made the hair on the back of Farhill's neck stand on end. "I received it from my father," the prince said. "He told me that if I listened closely, I could hear the sounds of battle echoing within it." The young prince looked up. "I could never hear it until today. But now it as clear as a summer sky-I hear the clanking of armor, the hissing of arrows, and the terrible cries of war. I fear that a war is approaching and there is nothing anyone can do to prevent it." Zenk stood up and set the seashell on his wooden shelf. "This battle will not be the last."  
  
The captain could not explain the sudden chill that ran down his spine at Zenk's prediction. "Battle, sir?"  
  
Without a word, Zenk picked up a folded note and handed it to Farhill. Tha baffled captain took the parchment and read:  
  
Prince Zenk- The zoras that the wicked Queen Antia was holding as captives are now free and safely lodged with us. As is the hylian maiden Aridwyn, who boldly snuck into Gerudo Fortress and single-handedly freed our allies. She also informed us that the Gerudo army is lurking about Hyrule Field. I am planning to launch a surprise attack on them at sunrise with all of my warriors. Do not try to stop us or aid us-you have been excellent comrades, it is time for us to do our part. Give my regards to Ion and Atron. -Lord Darronn of Death Mountain  
  
Farhill looked up and Zenk sighed. "I don't know what to do. Darronn plans on leading them on a suicide mission. He made it clear that he does not want our help."  
  
"But if we don't help, they'll be slaughtered!" Farhill protested.  
  
Zenk sighed again. "Not without taking quite a few of those Gerudos down with them. Gorons are friendly in peace. But they are ferocious in battle."  
  
* * *  
  
That night Prince Zenk held a feast. Everyone in Hyrule Castle was seated around half a dozen long tables in the main hall. Hylians piled food on their plates and drank merrily.  
  
Only Captain Ion, seated between Prince Zenk and Atron Doren, sensed something wrong. "Zenk?" he said quietly over the din. "What is this feast for?"  
  
The prince looked over at him. "Cannot a prince hold a celebration once in a whie to enjoy the sheer beauty of life?"  
  
Ion was not fooled, and he gave Zenk a reproving look.  
  
"Fine, fine," Zenk sighed. "It is a parting feast. Which reminds me, King Darronn says hello." The puzzled captain questioned him further, but the prince would say no more. Ion soon forgot the problem in the merriment of the festival.  
  
"Pass me some of those mashed potatoes, will you Atron?"  
  
"Get them yourself, Cap'n. I'm too busy digging into this rosecream pie!"  
  
"Going right for the desert, eh Atron?"  
  
"Sure am, Levin. Who knows, a bolt of lightning could strike me dead in the middle of the meal!"  
  
"What a pity that would be for the rest of us."  
  
"Try some of this, Ion, it's great!"  
  
"I already have, Farhill, and more than once!"  
  
"Like it, do you? That's my own recipe."  
  
"Where in the blazes did you learn to cook like that, miss?"  
  
"Don't give me all the credit. Ha ha, I made Aridwyn do most of the work!"  
  
Zenk could tell that his celebration was having the desired effect on the hylians. In the midst of all the laughing and feasting, they had forgotten about Antia, the Gerudos, and the war that was teetering on the brink of the peak of their lives. All it needed was a small push to launch Hyrule into a state of near chaos. Darronn, Ankor, and Antia had already gotten it to the edge. Now it was Zenk's turn.  
  
Once everyone was finished with their meal, the young prince got to his feet. "Friends!" he shouted. All eyes turned to him, all long elven ears tuned in and ready to listen to what their master's prince had to say. "You are probably wondering what the occasion is for this feast. And it is time for me to tell you." He gazed around at the seated hylians who had served him and his father for so long. "It is a parting feast. We may never see some of our old friends again."  
  
Only Farhill was not surprised. Everyone else arched their eyebrows and looked questionly up at Zenk, who continued.  
  
"Lord Darronn of the gorons is leading his soldiers in a surprise assault on the majority of the Gerudo army, which is assembled in Hyrule Field. I fear many, if not all of those brave creatures will be slain in battle."  
  
Many of the hylians shouted out. Why was their bold prince sitting back while their greatest allies were slaughtered?  
  
Zenk held up his hand for quiet. After about a minute, everyone fell silent.  
  
"Friends, friends," the prince said. "I never said we would not be slain alongside them." The hall erupted with cheers. "Strap your armor and sharpen your blades, for tomorrow the hylians march to war!" 


	7. The Goddess of Death

I do not own Zelda. If I did, I wouldn't be taking the time to write stories for web sites, I would probably be basking in the sun near a giant swimming pool while the beautiful afternoon crawled by and I did whatever really rich people do.  
  
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Queen Antia had gone out to meet Arfan and Foralin with the Gerudo forces in Hyrule Field. The army made a grand sight. Almost six hundred trained female warriors stood at attention as their leaders conversed, each one with a spear in their hand. Raker's fourscore ragged soldiers were forced to take up the custom Gerudo uniform and weapon.  
  
The captains were geared up for war. Dak wore a heavy metal helmet and a long, dark cloak, and he twirled his battle blade skillfully in his hand.  
  
Arfan's uniform was painted black as a sign of her rank and her shining orange hair was cropped up. A deadly scimitar hung from a sash around her shoulders.  
  
Foralin struck a terrifying sight. He bore a might battle-axe, which gleamed in the sun like his red eyes, ablaze with the light of battle.  
  
Antia's infamous double-sided scythe was slung across her back. Her golden hair flowed down to her shoulders, and her bright blue gaze shown from behind an eager face.  
  
Anyone looking upon the group would not look long before abandoning the sight and getting as far away as possible from the frightening captains.  
  
Queen Antia spoke to them. "Fail me and die. I feel that this will be the day that the hylians make their final stand. If I am wrong, we shall launch an attack on the goron's tomorrow at sunrise."  
  
* * *  
  
Zenk hadn't slept at all the previous night. However, he looked as alert and attentive as ever as he slipped on his battle helmet and faced about two hundred hylian soldiers.  
  
Each one of the generals commanded one force. Ion, Farhill, Atron Doren, and Levin Bastor patrolled the ranks of the hylian army. If any one of them was nervous, they hid it well.  
  
Zenk turned and looked up at Hyrule Castle, the impenetrable fortress that he called home. "I'll make you proud, father," he whispered. "And I will slay the one whose fault it is that you are not here beside me."  
  
* * *  
  
With both ally and foe awaiting his arrival, Lord Darronn gazed around at his tough-looking army of one hundred goron warriors. "This is it, rogues!" he shouted. "Chin up, chest out, let's show these show these girls what we can do!"  
  
The goron yelled out their frightening battle cries, rolled up tight into deadly balls of spikes, and sped down the mountain.  
  
* * *  
  
Antia heard the gorons before she saw them.  
  
"Daaaarroooooonn!" Their cries filled the air. Suddenly, the gorons were upon them, wreaking trails of havoc in the wake of their fatal spikes or using their giant fists to end lives of thieves in single punches.  
  
Antia urged her warriors on. "We have six times their number. Attack! Go for the heart, they aren't invincible!"  
  
Darronn's forces fought valiantly, but the Gerudo's numbers were beginning to tilt the battle in favor of Antia.  
  
Three gorons spotted the queen and charged her, but with a mighty swipe, all three were beheaded. Foralin wiped his battle-axe off in the grass before leaping into the melee of screaming warriors.  
  
Dak had worked himself into a frenzy and joined the fray as well, but Captain Arfan stood at the rear with her queen. "Foolish rock-eaters," she muttered. "What would posses a creature to do that?"  
  
"Courage, bitch, courage," Antia replied nastily. "Something you wouldn't know about."  
  
Darronn knew he had lost. Though it had been much easier to think about safe in his own chamber, it had been his plan from the start to be slain.  
  
Suddenly, everyone froze.  
  
"SOOOONEFOOOOOOR!!!"  
  
* * *  
  
Two hundred hylian soldiers poured over the hillside, waving their swords high in the air and yelling their battle cries. Both female thieves and stout mountain-dwellers stood, the battle temporarily forgotten, watching the army.  
  
The hylian front line, led by a grim Captain Doren, collided with the flank of the Gerudos, and everything started up again.  
  
Bodies littered the bloodstained grass. Fivescore Gerudos had fallen, but with them lay the carcasses of half of Darronn's forces.  
  
The remaining gorons fought their way over to their hylian allies. Lord Darronn found himself battling beside Prince Zenk. "I told you not to come," the goron king said between punches. "You were Hyrule's last hope!"  
  
Zenk gave him a fleeting smile. "Right, Sire, and we still are. Let's give these theives a fight they won't soon forget! Have you seen that queen of theirs?"  
  
"Aye, she was hiding at the back of her forces, last I knew," replied Darronn. "But you can't go after her alone. She's flanked by one of her captains and that black bastard who calls himself a goron." He turned to the prince.  
  
But Zenk was gone.  
  
* * *  
  
Antia, her brother Dak, and a score and a half trained Gerudo warriors had made their way back to Gerudo Fortress. Prince Zenk had spotted them. Gritting his teeth, he drew his sword and charged after the queen.  
  
Flanked by a score of armed theives, the Queen of the Gerudos was seated at an elaborate wooden table sipping strong desert beer from a tall mug. Dak and the ten other Gerudos stood guard at the door.  
  
Suddenly, Zenk burst into the room. Without warning, Antia's brother sprang upon him, dealing him a hefty blow to the stomach with the hilt of his sword. Before the young prince could regain his breath, the ten warriors had him disarmed and bound tightly.  
  
"Like your father, you never amounted to anything," Antia laughed. "I decided that my army could defeat your pitiful excuses for soldiers without the aid of having you as captive." She stood, dropping the cape from her soldiers. Zenk was able to study the queen for the first time.  
  
She wore knee-high white boots, and a patterned blue velvet cloth hung from her waist, suspended by a rope belt and studded with various rare jewels. She was clad above the waist in the custom Gerudo attire, aside from silver shoulder-pads and long white gloves. Her golden hair came down to her shoulders. Her pretty face was clean and delicate, and her notorious bright blue gaze seemed to bore into Zenk's mind. If circumstances were different, the young prince may have found Antia quite attractive.  
  
"Which means," she continued, bringing him back to the present, "that I no longer need you. You are disposable."  
  
"Stow the bitching, Queen. If you're going to kill me, get on with it."  
  
Antia brought her face close to his. "Oh, it isn't a matter of whether I'm going to kill you. It's how I'm going to go about doing it." She turned and beckoned for one of the Gerudos to step forward. The Gerudo clutched her spear and untied her veil.  
  
Zenk gasped. It was none other than the hylian maiden, Shina!  
  
* * *  
  
Ion was struggling for his life as he dodged and leapt around Foralin. Captain Farhill, seeing Ion's plight, rushed to his friend's aid. Quickness was the hylians' only advantage. The black monster roared and slashed everywhere at once with his devastating axe. Sweat poured down the captains' faces.  
  
Foralin snarled and lunged at Farhill. The young captain's speed was all that saved him. He jerked to the right and the battle-axe bit deep into his shoulder. Farhill cried out in pain.  
  
Ion ran to his side. "Get out of here, I'll take care of him!"  
  
"Captain, look out!"  
  
With surprising agility, the hylian whipped around and dove to the ground. The mighty battle-axe sliced harmlessly through the air above his head.  
  
Abandoning the hylian captain at his feet, the black goron charged the wounded and helpless Farhill.  
  
But Ion was there in a blur of gray. He knocked Farhill to the ground, where the younger captain looked up in dawning horror at the realization of his companion's sacrifice. Foralin's blade was already in motion. It's fatal axe-head raked across Ion's chest. The head captain collapsed in a heap. The black goron grinned, baring his yellow fangs, and prepared for one final slash.  
  
In a whirlwind of cold steel, Foralin's right hand was severed and his battle-axe fell to the grass. As the goron turned to meet this new foe, Farhill seized his sword in his strong arm and struck. For the sake of his slain captain and using his last ounce of strength, Farhill plunged the saber into Foralin's heart. The black goron staggered and fell for a final time, revealing the young captain's savior.  
  
It was Raker!  
  
The Desert General wiped his double-edged razor sword off in the grass. "You're not on to cross, that's certain," he said. "Luckily, my fight's not with you. It's with the queen." He brushed by Farhill and bounded off in the direction of the melee.  
  
Farhill had recognized him. He had just enough time to wonder what that was all about before he fell over in a dead faint from the screaming pain in his shoulder.  
  
* * *  
  
Nearby, the battle raged on. Side by side, gorons and hylians were dealing major damage to the army of the Gerudos, to whom Arfan was acting as temporary leader.  
  
Lord Darronn was wounded in numerous places, but doggedly he fought on.  
  
Among the countless dead lay the body of Hylian Defensive Captain Levin Bastor, who had fallen early on by a Gerudo spear.  
  
Atron Doren was the only hylian captain left standing. "Come on, slackers!" he stirred his forces. "Let's do ol' Sonefor proud!"  
  
But everyone could see that the Gerudos still held the upper hand. Together, Darronn's mountain warriors and the hylian army numbered less than one hundred. They were outnumbered at least three to one by Antia's Gerudos. Tasting victory, the desert thieves pressed forward.  
  
Suddenly, a huge black explosion erupted from within the melee. Standing there, amidst the tense hylians, the baffled gorons, and the perplexed Gerudos, stood a single maiden.  
  
Leen!  
  
The dark-haired hylian's head was bowed, her eyes tightly closed. Atron Doren rushed to her side. "Madam, what are you doing here?"  
  
Without warning, Leen's eyes burst open in a flash of light. The would-be fighters stared at her. Leen rose into the air, slowly. "Drop your weapons," a magnified bass voice emerged from the hylian maid's lips. "Everyone, now!"  
  
Without hesitation, Doren let his javelin slip from his hands and ordered his troops to do the same. However, Arfan and the Gerudos clutched their weapons tightly.  
  
Trying to prove herself before her fighters, Arfan stepped forward. "It's naught but a trick. She's just a maid!" She charged Leen, taking up her curved scimitar. Suddenly, Leen turned upon her and her dark eyes blazed gold. Arfan fell back, instantly slain.  
  
"How dare you defy the command of a goddess!" Leen's body melted away. Every being witnessing the transformation drew in a gasp of surprise.  
  
Replacing the body of the maiden was a beautiful goddess. Her sleek, unclothed body shown with darkness, and her whole perfect figure radiated massive power. She shot high over the battlefield.  
  
Words sprang unbidden to the mouth of the lord of the gorons. "Behold, Leen, Goddess of Death!" 


	8. Bloody Streams

I do not own Zelda. If I did, I wouldn't be taking the time to write stories for web sites, I would probably be basking in the sun near a giant swimming pool while the beautiful afternoon crawled by and I did whatever really rich people do.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------  
  
"After you deserted her, Shina decided to join me," sneered Antia. "I told her I would give her the pleasure of killing you."  
  
The former hylian servant girl stepped forward. The spearhead gleamed in the sunlight that poured through a single tall window. "I'm sorry, my prince," she said as she walked forward. Though she hid it in a veil of determination, Zenk could see uncertainty in her emerald eyes.  
  
"Do what's in your heart, Shina," he said gently. "If it is telling you to kill me, I cannot argue with that. But I feel that it is not."  
  
Behind the slowly advancing hylian maid was Antia. "This is your final test, Shina," she whispered. "If you display your loyalty to me by killing him, I can always find a spot for a new captain in my army. Aside from that, there will be treasure aplenty."  
  
Shina was now only an arms-length away from her former prince. Zenk drew in a breath slowly.  
  
Suddenly, she winked at him. Whipping around, she knocked the closest guard to the ground and slew another. "You took my in, Queen Antia," she said, "but I couldn't kill my own prince."  
  
"The ropes, cut the ropes!" roared Zenk.  
  
But before Shina could even turn back around, the Gerudo Queen was upon her. Not even bothering to arm herself. Antia lunged at her. The hylian maiden flailed out with her spear, but Antia turned aside and caught the weapon, ripping it from Shina's grasp. Holding on to either end of the spear, the queen rammed it into her chin. Shina collapsed in a heap, blood dripping from her lip.  
  
Antia turned on Zenk, her crystalline eyes blazing.  
  
But a quiet voice stopped her. "Pray, sister, grant me one wish. I have a score to settle with this one. Let me deal with him."  
  
Queen Antia looked over at Dak. She smiled maliciously. "He's all yours."  
  
Dak drew his great battle blade. "You ruined everything," he growled. "But you won't have to worry about doing it again!"  
  
Zenk felt the ropes loosen. Someone was untying him from behind! Desperately, he stalled the Gerudo warrior. "Some hero," he snorted sarcastically. "Slaying helpless captives requires tons of courage. Why don't you free me and give me my blade? Then we can settle the score."  
  
Dak laughed. "You take me for a fool. Prepare to die!" He swung the sword high over his head.  
  
Suddenly, the ropes fell from Zenk and he quickly rolled sideways. "Raker!" screamed Antia.  
  
It was, indeed, the Desert General. He smiled grimly at Prince Zenk. "Haha, let's take it to 'em!" He threw himself at the Gerudo guards.  
  
Dak lunged towards Zenk. The swift prince danced backwards, grabbing the hilt of the warrior's blade. Together the two wrestled in a deadly grapple for possession of the weapon. Suddenly, Raker was there, slashing madly at Dak. The quick warrior let go of his sword and leapt back with a snarl. He turned and fled, dragging Shina behind him. Antia had disappeared.  
  
"Prince, go after them!" shouted Raker. Twenty-five Gerudo warriors pressed around the Desert General. Zenk looked back uncertainly. "NOW!" Raker's yell confirmed the prince's decision. Before the guards could reach him, he took off, following the trail of blood from the captive of Queen Antia and her brother.  
  
With a mighty war cry, the Desert General leapt into the thick of the remaining Gerudo thieves. "Come, bitches, for death awaits you! SPIRITS OF SAAATAAAAAAN!"  
  
Thus did Raker, General of the Desert, make his final stand.  
  
* * *  
  
Prince Zenk rushed through the winding halls and chambers of the abandoned Gerudo stronghold. He came to the end of one passageway that led him onto the rooftop of the fortress. Standing there were Queen Antia and her brother Dak. Shina lay unconscious nearby.  
  
With a yell of fury at the sight of his father's killer, Zenk hurled himself at Antia, hefting Dak's war-blade. The swift Gerudo queen leapt to the right and pressed her scythe up against the throat of the hylian maiden.  
  
"Hand my brother his weapon," she hissed. Zenk stopped dead in his tracks. "Do it or she dies."  
  
The young prince growled, but then threw the sword to the ground. Zenk was especting Dak to laugh, mock him, or at least reclaim his blade.  
  
But, instead, the Gerudo warrior turned on his sister. "We had a deal, Queen. You told me you wouldn't kill the maid." Prince Zenk then realized- Dak was in love with Shina.  
  
The menacing expression on the queen's face was enough to make Foralin back down. Suddenly, she smiled dangerously, and Zenk had a horrible feeling that she had thought up a gruesome new scheme. Without warning, she whipped out a long dagger and plunged it into Shina's stomach.  
  
Both Dak and Zenk cried out. The prince seized the Gerudo's sword from the ground and charged the queen, but Dak stood his ground, trembling visibly.  
  
Antia turned tail and ran, leaping off the rooftop and landing nimbly. Zenk started after, but suddenly, he was knocked to the ground by a strike from the queen's brother. Zenk looked up at Dak. He looked different, almost darker. His cold eyes were filled with crimson mist, and he clenched his fists tightly.  
  
"Shiiiiinaaaaaaaa!" he bellowed. He reared up above Zenk, looming before the prince like a wraith out of a nightmare.  
  
Suddenly, a black blur sped out of nowhere and smashed into Dak. "Take the sword and avenge your father!"  
  
Prince Zenk did not hesitate. He had not recognized the voice, but there was something about it that made him immediately obey. He snatched Dak's fallen sword and leapt from the roof into his fate.  
  
* * *  
  
Prince Zenk rushed through the winding halls and chambers of the abandoned Gerudo stronghold. He came to the end of one passageway, which led him onto the rooftop of the fortress.  
  
Standing there were Queen Antia and her brother Dak. Shina lay unconscious nearby.  
  
With a yell of fury at the sight of his father's killer, Zenk hurled himself at Antia, hefting Dak's war-blade. The swift Gerudo queen leapt to the right and pressed her scythe up against the throat of the hylian maiden.  
  
"Hand my brother his weapon," she hissed. Zenk stopped dead in his tracks. "Do it or she dies." The young prince growled, but then threw the sword to the ground. He was expecting Dak to laugh, mock him, or at least reclaim his weapon.  
  
But instead, the Gerudo warrior turned on his sister. "We had a deal, Queen. You told me you would not kill the maid."  
  
Prince Zenk then realized-Dak was in love with Shina.  
  
The menacing expression on the queen's face was enough to make Foralin back down. Suddenly, she smiled dangerously and Zenk had a horrible feeling that she had thought up a new gruesome scheme. Without warning, she whipped out a long dagger and plunged it into Shina's stomach.  
  
Both Dak and Zenk cried out. The prince seized the warrior's sword from the ground and charged Antia, but Dak stood his ground, trembling visibly, head bowed. Antia turned and fled, leaping off the roof and landing nimbly. Zenk started after, but he was knocked to the ground by a strike from the queen's brother.  
  
Zenk looked up at Dak. He looked different, almost darker. His cold eyes were filled with crimson mist and he clenched his fists tightly.  
  
"Shiiiinaaaaaaaa!" he bellowed. He reared up above Zenk, looming before the prince like a wraith out of a nightmare.  
  
Suddenly, a black blur sped out of nowhere and smashed into Dak. "Take the sword and avenge your father!"  
  
Prince Zenk did not hesitate. Though he had not recognized the voice, there was something about it that made him immediately obey. He snatched Dak's fallen sword and leapt from the roof and into his fate.  
  
* * *  
  
Hyrule Field stuck a gruesome sight. Leen the Goddess of Death had kept only thirty Gerudos alive. Arfan's three hundred others had been mercilessly slain. Their carcasses scattered the blood-red grass, some crushed by goron fists, some struck with hylian arrow shafts and blades, and others merely lay untouched in their eternal sleep, a result of Leen's tremendous power.  
  
A score of goron survivors and seventy hylians set about the monstrous task of burying their fallen comrades.  
  
"Who would have thought that pretty young maiden was in truth a goddess?" commented Atron Doren.  
  
Lord Darronn grunted. "I never had the pleasure of meeting Leen, though Aridwyn mentioned her to me once or twice."  
  
Inside, both of them were struggling against themselves. The goddess had warned them about meddling with fate, but they felt cheap abandoning Prince Zenk when he needed help the most.  
  
* * *  
  
"The final confrontation," said Antia. "We finally get to meet, face to face, in a fight to the death."  
  
Prince Zenk raised Dak's sword. He was nervous. He had seen the queen battle and was not eager to go against her. Furious at himself, the prince cleared his doubts. 'You've been dreaming of this day ever since she murdered Father,' he scolded himself. 'Now act like a prince and fight!'  
  
Antia, however, was smiling. "Let's dance."  
  
They leapt at each other, cold hate upon both faces. Zenk fought like a madman, hacking and slashing away. Antia kept her cool, blocking each blow with her scythe and launching her own without warning. For a full hour, Queen and Prince kept up the bout tirelessly. They were dangerously close to the rocky edge of Gerudo Valley.  
  
Zenk was wounded in the left shoulder and the right thigh, but oblivious he pressed his mortal enemy.  
  
Antia struck, dodged, and leapt around him until she rendered him to the ground. She swept her scythe towards him, but swiftly Zenk lashed out and sliced clean through the wooden stave of Antia's weapon. The queen snarled and grabbed hold of the ends of each half. Whirling them madly, she lunged at Zenk.  
  
The quick prince dodged to the right, but it was too late. The blade slashed him down the side. Immediately, blood gushed from the wound. Desperatly fighting the dizziness, he stayed on his feet.  
  
Antia laughed shrilly. Throwing herself upon him, she shoved one of the scythes into Zenk's shoulder and laid him low with the butt of the other.  
  
The prince's sight was beginning to become hazy, his eyes glazing over. Suddenly, the blurred images blended together and formed the face of Sonefor. "Fight it, my son!" he called.  
  
With a mighty yell, Zenk rolled to the side just as Antia's scythe stuck the ground where he had been not a moment before. He leapt to his feet and struck.  
  
Queen Antia's eyes blazed, a look of dawning horror appearing on her face. Gasping for air, she slid against him. The two stood, on the edge of the great Gerudo Valley, unable to move, mortal enemies resting against one another.  
  
Zenk's clouded eyes focused on the queen. "Father," he murmured.  
  
Sudden strength flowed into his battle at the thought of Sonefor's death, and he struck again. Once, twice, thrice! Antia's cries of pain split the still air.  
  
"My job is done," whispered Zenk. "I can sleep."  
  
Then, using every last ounce of strength left in him, he heaved the shuddering body of the Gerudo queen from the ledge and fell heavily to the rocky ground.  
  
* * *  
  
"Get up, Prince. Awake!"  
  
Obediently, he opened his eyes. Before him kneeled a magnificent goddess. "Am I. in heaven?" he asked.  
  
The goddess smiled. "No, little one. It is not your time."  
  
Surveying his surroundings, he discovered he was still in Gerudo Valley. Memories came rushing back to the young prince. "What happened?" he demanded. "I should be dead!"  
  
"As I said before, it is not time yet for you to return to your father."  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
The goddess bowed elegantly. "It is I, Leen. I am the Goddess of Death. You are correct, Prince. You should be dead from all of the wounds Queen Antia inflicted upon you. However, you cannot die. Not yet. There is one final task you must complete before I grant you eternal rest, so I have merely delayed your ascension."  
  
Prince Zenk took his feet slowly. He felt as if someone else were using his mouth. "What is the task, Your Highness?"  
  
Leen stood as well. "When I return to heaven, a piece of the legendary Triforce will be left behind, containing a portion of my power. No mortal should be able to harness it. Even I cannot foresee what the consequences would be if it fell into the hands of an earthly being in the midst of war."  
  
She sighed. "Entire races would most likely be destroyed. That cannot happen; even the descendants of Gerudos such as Queen Antia and General Raker have major parts to play in the future of Hyrule if it is to achieve ultimate peace. You must take the Triforce of Death as far away as possible and bury it!"  
  
"It will be as you say, my lady. You speak of the descendant of Antia-does this mean she has a child?"  
  
"Indeed, Prince. In fact, it was General Raker himself who sired the young boy."  
  
"Antia and Raker? I thought they were mortal enemies!" Zenk did not hide his surprise.  
  
"They were not always. It is the queen's own fault that she failed-she played General Raker false and in the end it was he who changed the outcome."  
  
"I see," said Zenk. "But why must you leave us so quickly?"  
  
"What came over Dak, Prince, was something we call the Ancient Gerudo Bloodlust. Because Queen Antia killed Shina, whom Dak loved, it seized him and took control of him. The Bloodlust made him exceedingly powerful- powerful enough to face a goddess. Dak drained much of my power. Therefor I must leave Hyrule to regain my strength alongside my fellow gods."  
  
"Dak, what happened to him?"  
  
"He was strong, but not as strong as the Goddess of Death," replied Leen quietly. "He received only what he deserved. I sent him to the gates of hell."  
  
Zenk turned away. "And Antia?"  
  
"If you'll remember, you ran her through and knocked her from the cliff face."  
  
"Then she is dead?"  
  
"She will be."  
  
They were quiet for a time.  
  
"Why must I be the one to complete this task?" Zenk asked finally. "Why me?"  
  
The goddess put a hand on his shoulder. "Do not argue with fate, Zenk." She paused. "There is something else as well. You must carry on your family line. Aridwyn is loyal and dependable-marry her and you shall sire a son. Your descendants, a wise king and his young daughter will be the ones to end the Great Wars."  
  
She continued. "Complete these tasks, Prince, and you shall rest forever beside your father. In exactly one season from now, my magic will wear off and you shall die. You must have buried the Triforce before then. Do you understand?"  
  
He nodded silently.  
  
"Then I must leave you," said Leen. "Good luck, Prince."  
  
Zenk watched her rise into the cool sky until her ascent was shrouded in a dark cloud. A bright ray of light struck the ground before him. Slowly bending down, the hylian prince picked up the small yellow triangle and bowed his head.  
  
* * *  
  
Half dead, Queen Antia had washed up into the shallows of Lake Hylia. The fall would have killed anyone else, but she clung to one last thread of life.  
  
Her form was mangeled-though most of the blood had washed away in the river, large wounds ran across her body. Her tattered clothing was ripped and torn, the wet folds flapping gently in the wind, one glove swept away in the current along with her shoulder pads. She was soaked to the bone, her tanned skin gleaming in the afternoon sun.  
  
Through half-closed eyes, she spotted about a dozen figures lined up along the beach. "Help. me," she croaked. They waded out to her. "Zo.zoras?"  
  
Without a word, Ankor took hold of Antia and shoved her gently out into the depths, where she was helpless against the cool waves that carried her down to a watery grave.  
  
  
  
  
  
THE END 


	9. Epilougue

EPILOUGUE  
  
So there you have it, the complete tale of the Great War's birth, as well you'll find it recorded anywhere else in Hyrule. Prince Zenk did complete his task, traveling about Hyrule until he came to long caverns, a dense forest, and eventually a huge range of mountians, where he buried the Triforce, sat down in the dirt, and died. Five seasons after Prince Zenk left to do this, his wife Aridwyn went wandering, leaving not only young Zenlor motherless but Hyrule leaderless. The hylians knew who they wanted to rule them: the legendary Captain Ion. However, he was quite unable, as he was slain by the black goron Foralin. Blaming their mountain-dwelling allies for the loss of the great captain, the hylians argued with the goron Lord Draon until they became bitter enemies. The zoras, at first, sided with the hylians, but a later dispute sent all three former allies against one another, beginning all of the suffering and death in Hyrule that led up to the arrival of the Gerudo king, Ganondorf. Even after the current Queen Zelda's father ended the Great War was there evil lurking. Finally, since my good friend Link destroyed the evil sorcerer Vlorack, we have been living in harmony with the races around us. Let us all hope that the efforts of a strong lord and a brave prince were not in vain, and that the peace won for us by a certain hero will last for all eternity.  
  
-Quill 


End file.
